PG Music Home Forums User-to-User Add-ons and UserTracks for Band-in-a-Box So...how are you making the solos?

I LOVE the solos feature in BIAB/Realband--and we could always use more.

I get how you can make simple chord progression rhythmic tracks, etc.

But how the heck are you guys doing the solos and is that something you'd consider opening the source for as you have the User Styles?

In RealBand in the Chord window click Bar > UserTracks or F5 in BIAB

Bar #
This sets the Bar number for UserTracks settings.

Don't include this Bar in the UserTracks
If set, the current bar (or range of bars if set in the 'range of bars' edit control) will be excluded from the UserTracks, and will never be played.

Ending starts on this bar (4 bar ending)
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will be the first bar of a four bar ending.

Don't Start a new Riff on this bar
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will not be used for the start of a new riff. Useful if the bar has a sustain from previous bar, and no new attack of a note.

Don't End a Riff at the start of this bar
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will not be used to end a riff at the start of the bar. Useful if the previous bar doesn't have a defined ending for a riff.

Key matches
If set, the current bar (or list of bars ) will only be chosen for UserTracks if the User's song key matches the key in this song. (e.g. if this is the IV chord, it will only get chosen if it would be the IV chord in the user's song

This bar is Simple
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will be set as 'simple' riffs. The user can set the song to want simple riffs (in Song Settings dialog), and then these simple riffs will get chosen preferentially.

Only Play this for a fill
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will be set as a fill, and will only play where the user's song is also fill.

Only play this for a post fill (after a fill)
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will be set to a post fill, and will only play at points in the user's song after a fill.

Odd/Even must match
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will be set to play in the user's song only if the odd/even status (bars after a part marker) matches the user's song.

Always play this bar if it matches
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will always get played, as long as it's chord and other settings are compatible. It would override any other riffs that match.

Once is enough (don't repeat this)
If set, the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) would only get played once per song. Use if this is an unusual riff that you wouldn't want to hear repeated.

Bar/Beat Markers (only if riff doesn't start on the bar or beat)
These are set visually in the Audio Edit Window. You can set the location of a beat/bar marker (ms offset) and the riff marker type (begin and/or end).

Beat 1: Adjust the marker where the riff begins if it begins on beat 1. A beat 1 riff would get chosen for a new bar, and a riff could begin up to 2 beats early if you want an anticipation.

Beat 2: Adjust the marker where the riff begins if it begins on beat 2. A beat 2 riff only lasts one beat, and gets chosen when the user's song is on beat 2.

Beat 3: Adjust the marker where the riff begins if it begins on beat 3. A beat 3 riff can last 2 beats, and gets chosen when the user's song is on beat 3.

Beat 4: Adjust the marker where the riff begins if it begins on beat 4. A beat 4 riff only lasts one beat, and gets chosen when the user's song is on beat 4.

ms: The ms offsets are set visually in the Audio Edit Window. Only set these if the riff doesn't start right on the bar line. For example, if set to -50, the riff will start 50ms before the beat.

[Delete] This deletes the bar/beat marker"

[Update] Updates the settings so they are saved.

Ah, interesting--so it IS doable.

Is anyone making User Solos? Is there an example somewhere? I love what I've been hearing so far regarding guitar and sax solos--and would love to have more.

There's a list here http://realband.org/usertracks.html you can download I think in covers all the forum post in one searchable list.

It is totally doable. Just use Real band to do it.

I simply generate the guitar solo track 4 to 5 or more times. Every single time you regenerate it, it WILL be different in some manner. Just use a different track for each regeneration.

In this song...

The Best Christmas

... yeah ignore that it's out of season.... the piano fills are done with two or three generations of the same real track piano...and that cool guitar solo is FIVE generations of the same real track solo guitar.

I move everything to my DAW and after putting the 5 tracks stacked in the track view, I use volume envelopes to switch between the tracks as the song is playing. So the first guitar solo phrase might be from track 1, then it might jump to track 3 then track 4, back to track 1, now track 5....and so on to create the solo I want it to play.

Of course, I also use my own live playing for solo's as well most often. The solos in Whiskey for Breakfast is me playing the guitar parts live.

Very impressive, Herb and Pipeline

No, I understand how to generate solos.

I was wondering how the "Soloist tracks" were being played, recorded, imported into BIAB/Realband in the first place.

(And I'm guess it is not that easy, since I don't see any "Users" making them).

I'll buy a beer for the first guy that makes a video of themselves doing this! :-)